Would Roberto Luongo play for the Oilers? Would the Oilers trade for him? Would you want him between the pipes whenver this ridiculous lockout ends?

Canucks beat reporter Jason Botchford tweeted a few days ago that the Oilers are one of three or four teams in the mix. Before you jump off the deep end and suggest this is bunk, keep in mind Botchford was the guy who had Shane Doan down to two teams, Vancouver and Phoenix, and after Doan signed in Phoenix he admitted that the Canucks were #2 on his list.

The question is should the Oilers trade for him?

Luongo has ten years left on his deal at a $5,333,333 cap hit. He most likely will not play the final three years of his deal which totals $3.6 million. So the Oilers would have him for seven, maybe eight years.

Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle and Luongo would equate to $17.33 million of the cap next year. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will most likely be in the same pay scale as Eberle in Hall in 2014/2015.

For argument sakes in three years it might be feasible to see Hall, Eberle, RNH, Luongo and Yakupov totalling around $28-30 million in cap space. The salary cap could be anywhere from $60-80 million at that point. The Oilers will need to have at least one $5 million D-man, if they plan to be competitive so that puts them around $33-$35 million.

For some, the bigger question might be can Luongo play?

I say he can.

In 727 games he has 339 wins, a .919 SV% and 2.52 GAA. In the playoffs he's posted a .916SV% and 2.53 GAA.

Without a doubt he is a top-ten goalie in the league, and while some feel his play in the Stanley Cup finals proved he's mentally fragile I think that might be tad misleading.

Would the Oilers be better served to deal for Luongo or see if Devan Dubnyk can develop into a proven starter? Luongo has proven he can do it, and while Dubnyk has done it for short stints he hasn't done it for an entire NHL season. The Oilers would be better right away, but the tough question is whether they'd be better long-term?

WIll Dubnyk continue to develop, and is he ready to start 55-60 games? I find trying to project a goalie's future is much more difficult than a D-man or forward, and that is the challenge they face, if they even have any interest in Luongo.

I'd say thanks, but no thanks because I believe the Oilers are still three or four years away from being a consistent contender, and when they reach that level they will need a goalie who isn't 36 years of age.

Would you want the Oilers to go after Luongo?

**If it did ever happen, which I think is slim, if any Oiler fans chanted LOUUUUUUU on a routine shot they should be banned from Rexall. You can do it on a great save, but not routine ones.**

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For the love of Mike, please, NOOOOO. It's not the Luongo wouldn't be a massive upgrade between the pipes for quite a few years, but you've gotta think that Van's asking price would be 2 one of the Fab 5, one of the one's bubbling under (Paajarvi most likely, given the Swedish connection), and a first. I don't think they trade a premier goalie (maybe not championship caliber, but still elite) to a division rival for less than that, and so far as this long-suffering Oiler fan is, it ain't worth it.

I'm not a very smart dude so naturally there are few things in recent history that I don't understand. Things such as; the Ricky Ray trade, the occupy movement, newagesys, fat guys who make fun of skinny jeans, meat-like vegetarian product...I can go on..

Loungo to Edmonton would be another one. Please don't make me more stupid.

So Dave,you think the asking price could be Yak, MPS and a 1st? We are not talking about trading for Crosby; its Luongo and that would be an overpay of galactic proportions. He is not comming here and for that I give thanks.

interesting. I would entertain that trade if the 'nucks took Habby and Horc back. Reason? because, unlike Gregor, i think the Oil will be a cup contender material sooner rather than later (like 2013/14). With Lu, they are playoff worthy this year, with the potential to upset the higher seed in the first round.

the only reason not to make this trade is because of the term and cap issues later. but, that is a very good reason.

@Reg Dunlop. You might want to reread my statement again. I said that although Luongo would be an upgrade between the pipes (and yes, I still believe he's an elite goalie in the NHL, just not one to win you a championship), Van's likely asking price from a division (one of the Fab 5, plus someone like Paajarvi and a 1st rounder) is NOT worth it. I would be MASSIVLEY pissed if after 3 years of intense suckiness we traded away one of the key building blocks of the next decade for Luongo.

Yes David, I re-read your statement and I still agree that the fab 5 ++ asking price would be too high, I still maintain that the canucks would settle for 1/3 of that asking price just to unburden themselves of Roberto's contract,and I must respectfully disagree about Luongo being a gumper-upgrade. DD all the way('Look at the new guy').

Yes David, I re-read your statement and I still agree that the fab 5 ++ asking price would be too high, I still maintain that the canucks would settle for 1/3 of that asking price just to unburden themselves of Roberto's contract,and I must respectfully disagree about Luongo being a gumper-upgrade. DD all the way('Look at the new guy').

Absolutely, Reg. Luongo and his contract would certainly be available for a lot lower price than any of the blue chippers.

Not saying Vancouver would trade him to a division rival or Edmonton would want him, but the price would be far south of a Yak (ironically enough I would "Yak" if Louuu became an Oiler).

As an Oiler fan in Victoria, B.C., I am constantly surrounded by Canucks fans. I hate them all and constantly have to resist randomly punching people on the street. Do you know what Canucks fans talk about ALL the time? They talk about how everything in the universe is their goalie's fault. Soup cold when it arrives at your table in the restaurant? Luongo's fault of course. Where I grew up playing hockey (not BC) you NEVER EVER put your goalie down, not even in your own mind. That poor bastard back there has the most pressure of anyone on the team and what he needs from you is good backchecking, smart plays, goal support, and some positive reinforcement otherwise shut the hell up.

I would love to have Luongo for the next few seasons because I think adding him and a stud D and we have a chance to make VAN look REALLY bad. It would be like one gigantic super punch to the face of all those whiney bastard Nuck fans all at the same time.

HOWEVER. Though an elite and underappreciated goalie Luongo may be, it remains that his contract is a flat out deal-breaker. He is a UFA in 2022!
It's so bad that the only way I would consider taking Luongo is for half price on the waiver wire. That contract is so potentially handcuffing that YES I would give up my chance at one gigantic superpunch to all Nucks fans everywhere. Now THAT is bad.

As an Oiler fan in Victoria, B.C., I am constantly surrounded by Canucks fans. I hate them all and constantly have to resist randomly punching people on the street. Do you know what Canucks fans talk about ALL the time? They talk about how everything in the universe is their goalie's fault. Soup cold when it arrives at your table in the restaurant? Luongo's fault of course. Where I grew up playing hockey (not BC) you NEVER EVER put your goalie down, not even in your own mind. That poor bastard back there has the most pressure of anyone on the team and what he needs from you is good backchecking, smart plays, goal support, and some positive reinforcement otherwise shut the hell up.

I would love to have Luongo for the next few seasons because I think adding him and a stud D and we have a chance to make VAN look REALLY bad. It would be like one gigantic super punch to the face of all those whiney bastard Nuck fans all at the same time.

HOWEVER. Though an elite and underappreciated goalie Luongo may be, it remains that his contract is a flat out deal-breaker. He is a UFA in 2022!
It's so bad that the only way I would consider taking Luongo is for half price on the waiver wire. That contract is so potentially handcuffing that YES I would give up my chance at one gigantic superpunch to all Nucks fans everywhere. Now THAT is bad.

I don't see why we would want to replace him with another old goalie who has an even crazier contract.

I understand Luongo is 6 years younger than Khabibulin, but that means we are looking at 6 years (I'll spot him 4 decent seasons) of him being at risk at becoming Khabibulin and not even providing a quarter of the return required on contract value for half a decade...

That doesn't even look at the risk of injury, not wanting to be here, etc...

If he was on a 2-4 year term, sure I would look at that; but his current contract is way to dangerous to let near a team with the young talent we have.

Only differences being, I have to deal with casucks fans in Vancouver, and I don't see his contract being quite as much of a deal breaker, though it without a doubt reduces his value.

Assuming the eventual CBA deal is similar to what the NHL recently proposed (a big assumption), a 5mil cap hit for the next 4-6 years, where it is not unreasonable for him to continue to perform well (many goalies in the past decade have had some great years in their mid-thirties), and upon retirement dump the cap hit onto the casucks, doesn't make his contract look like a complete non-starter to me.

By no means do I think he is a good fit in edmonton, for many reasons (div rival, cost to acquire, DD's current contract). However those stating that canada won the gold despite him, and he is worth no more than a waiver wire pickup, are just as bad as the casuck fans that pin their finals loss to boston on him.

The way he gets treated in Vancouver, I would bet $$ that had Miller and Luongos's performances in the final been swapped, fans would have blamed the loss on Luongo due to his "terrible OT goal", and would have completely forgotten about how they even made it to OT.

interesting. I would entertain that trade if the 'nucks took Habby and Horc back. Reason? because, unlike Gregor, i think the Oil will be a cup contender material sooner rather than later (like 2013/14). With Lu, they are playoff worthy this year, with the potential to upset the higher seed in the first round.

the only reason not to make this trade is because of the term and cap issues later. but, that is a very good reason.

so, probably pass.

Excellent call,toss in Whitney to dump salary and I am happy.

We would definately be a wildcard playoff team with all our top end skill and we would be dangerous immediatly.

I don't think there are any circumstances where this would be a good deal for the Oilers.

True, Luongo is better than anyone in the Oilers' organization, but one only has to point at the term of his deal to realize that there is no way an Oilers GM would agree to this under any circumstances, unless he was a) INSANE, or b) wanted to be fired AND sabotage the franchise at the same time.

Oilanderp wrote:
As an Oiler fan in Victoria, B.C., I am constantly surrounded by Canucks fans. I hate them all and constantly have to resist randomly punching people on the street. Do you know what Canucks fans talk about ALL the time? They talk about how everything in the universe is their goalie's fault. Soup cold when it arrives at your table in the restaurant? Luongo's fault of course. Where I grew up playing hockey (not BC) you NEVER EVER put your goalie down, not even in your own mind. That poor bastard back there has the most pressure of anyone on the team and what he needs from you is good backchecking, smart plays, goal support, and some positive reinforcement otherwise shut the hell up.

I would love to have Luongo for the next few seasons because I think adding him and a stud D and we have a chance to make VAN look REALLY bad. It would be like one gigantic super punch to the face of all those whiney bastard Nuck fans all at the same time.

HOWEVER. Though an elite and underappreciated goalie Luongo may be, it remains that his contract is a flat out deal-breaker. He is a UFA in 2022! It's so bad that the only way I would consider taking Luongo is for half price on the waiver wire. That contract is so potentially handcuffing that YES I would give up my chance at one gigantic superpunch to all Nucks fans everywhere. Now THAT is bad.

As an Oiler fan in Victoria, B.C., I am constantly surrounded by Canucks fans. I hate them all and constantly have to resist randomly punching people on the street. Do you know what Canucks fans talk about ALL the time? They talk about how everything in the universe is their goalie's fault. Soup cold when it arrives at your table in the restaurant? Luongo's fault of course. Where I grew up playing hockey (not BC) you NEVER EVER put your goalie down, not even in your own mind. That poor bastard back there has the most pressure of anyone on the team and what he needs from you is good backchecking, smart plays, goal support, and some positive reinforcement otherwise shut the hell up.

I would love to have Luongo for the next few seasons because I think adding him and a stud D and we have a chance to make VAN look REALLY bad. It would be like one gigantic super punch to the face of all those whiney bastard Nuck fans all at the same time.

HOWEVER. Though an elite and underappreciated goalie Luongo may be, it remains that his contract is a flat out deal-breaker. He is a UFA in 2022!
It's so bad that the only way I would consider taking Luongo is for half price on the waiver wire. That contract is so potentially handcuffing that YES I would give up my chance at one gigantic superpunch to all Nucks fans everywhere. Now THAT is bad.

No to Luongo.
*sheds single tear*

Epic rant!Well done!!God put you in Nucklehead land for a reason you obviously have broad shoulders.Vent more--it works.